Acupuncture for Diabetes - Treatment Protocols

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for diabetes. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.

  • Etiology & Pathology:
    • Differentiation:
    • Upper Wasting - LU Heat
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Dry throat and mouth, thirst, frequent urination.
        • Tongue:  Red w/dry yellow coat
        • Pulse:  Rapid
      • Treatment Points:
        • St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
        • SP 6 - tonify Yin
        • ST 36 - tonify Qi
        • LU 5 - clear LU heat
        • UB 13 - LU Shu
    • Middle Wasting - ST Dryness
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Excessive appetite, epigastric pain, constipation.
        • Tongue:  Yellow dry coat
        • Pulse:  Rapid
      • Treatment Points:
    • Lower Wasting - KD Yin & Jing
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Sore back a/or knees, weak lower body, dizziness, blurry vision, frequent copious urination, dry mouth.
        • Tongue:  Red w/no coat
        • Pulse:  Fine, rapid
      • Treatment Points:
        • St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
        • KD 6 - tonify Yin
        • KD 3 - tonify KD
        • CV 4 - tonify Yin
        • SP 6 - tonify ST/SP and Yin
        • GV 20 - raise the yang
        • UB 23 - KD Shu
    • SP Qi Deficiency
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, loose stools. May also generate dampness over time, which may combine with heat.
        • Tongue:  Pale w/teethmarks (coating with dampness)
        • Pulse:  Empty (slippery with dampness)
      • Treatment Points:
    • LV Qi Stagnation
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Depression, easily angered, belching a/or gas, PMS, menstrual irregularities.
        • Tongue:  Normal or Pale/Purple (red w/yellow coat with LV Fire)
        • Pulse:  Wiry (w/rapid with LV Fire)
      • Treatment Points:

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

  • St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
  • Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
~ Share This ~